


The Search For Grace

by BlackFury



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-05
Updated: 2013-03-01
Packaged: 2017-11-20 08:34:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/583339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackFury/pseuds/BlackFury
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This in an AU story.  Grace Holloway travels with the Doctor and later marries him. The Time War ends but the TARDIS encounters a left over dimensional rift and Grace disappears into the Beta universe.  The people she meets help her to go home.  One in particular is hard for her to meet but, she has to to get home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was done, Gallifrey and the Daleks were time locked, the war over but, not for him. The Doctor was at the control console, trying to steady their flight away from that area of space now filled with dust and debris. His navy blue frock coat was torn in some places, his long, reddish brown hair in even more disarray. He had sent Grace, his wife, back to their quarters for her own safety. Of course, she had argued until he told her it was the most protected area of the TARDIS next to the control room. She had gone, reluctantly, after kissing him passionately.

He smiled, remembering her kiss on his lips. How he loved that woman. Now, he was trying to keep both of them alive. He had chosen well when he married her and had scandalized his home world when he mind bonded with her. Now, they were no longer around to tell him how wrong he had been. A tear trickled down his face but was soon wiped away as the shaking finally slowed down.

He leaned against the console and sighed, finally, they were far enough away. Then, an alarm began sounding and he scrambled to find out what was wrong. The TARDIS was spinning wildly and to his horror, he heard Grace running towards him. "Doctor, are you all right?" She cried. As always, more worried about him. Then, it happened. TARDIS ran into a dimensional rift, one left over from the Time War. The two met, merged for an instant but that was all it took.

Grace screamed, "Theta!!" He saw the look on her face for an instant then, she was gone. "NO!" He screamed and frantically began spinning dials, turning knobs, pushing buttons but, the TARDIS had detached from the rift and the rift had closed. He sagged against the console, tears threatening to overwhelm him, "Grace?" He whispered. After everything they had been through together now, this. She was simply gone. He didn't remember how long he just stood there, looking at the space where she had been.

He turned from the console, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes in a vain effort to stop the tears but, they came anyway. His legs gave out and he knelt on the floor of the TARDIS, crying his eyes out. He'd never see her again, hear her beautiful voice or her laughter. He'd never make love to her again, never.... His mind almost shut down then, TARDIS hummed, insistently, trying to get his attention.

It took a few hours but he finally raised his head and listened. "You sure, old thing?" He asked, a note of cautious hope in his voice. The answer was an affirmative because he slowly got to his feet and came back to the console. He closed his eyes, his mind questing out and then....there! It was faint but, the bond was there. She was alive, TARDIS was right but now, now they had to find her. Nothing would do but for him to find her and bring her home, to him.

"Ok old girl, the thing is, we don't know which parallel universe we contacted. Finding it will not be easy." TARDIS hummed and he finally smiled, "You're right old girl, if anyone can do it, it's us. Ok then. let's begin." He began making calculations in his head and he glimpsed the wedding ring on his left hand. He smiled. It was made of a combination of Earth and Gallifreyan metals and inscribed on the inside was one word, "Forever." If it took him that long and however many regenerations he had, he would find his Grace, his angel and have her in his arms once more or die trying.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

When the TARDIS had sounded the alarm, all Grace could think of was that her Doctor had been hurt so, she grabbed her medical bag and ran towards the control room. Too late, she had heard her husband yell at her to stop. She felt herself surrounded by some kind of energy and saw the horrified look on her beloved husband's face. She screamed his name and then, there was blackness.

She was hearing voices, jumbled, faint in some places but, she was hearing them. Her head wasn't buzzing as loudly as it had been. She became aware of lying on something soft, like a mattress and cautiously, she opened one eye. A woman's voice, with a clipped British accent spoke softly, "Harry, I think she's waking up." 

Grace made out the face of a man with tightly curled hair and bright blue eyes in a broad face looking down at her. Grace also saw he was wearing a white coat and a stethoscope around his neck. "You....You're a Doctor?" She managed to get out. He smiled, "Yes, Dr Harry Sullivan Chief Medical Officer of UNIT." Grace tried to sit up but her head was still spinning. "Easy," said the woman who had spoken earlier. "I'm Sarah Jane Sullivan, Harry's wife"

Grace looked at her, "Sarah Jane? I remember hearing him tell me about you." Harry and Sarah exchanged glances, "Who told you about me?" Grace smiled softly, "The Doctor." Sarah drew in a surprised breath, "We haven't seen him since that business with the Loch Ness Monster all those years ago." Grace struggled to sit up, "But that's not possible, he told me about the time you and he enountered the Egyptian God, Sutekh." Sarah looked puzzled. "That never happened. After Loch Ness, Harry and I left the Doctor and got married. We have four children now."

Grace was frowning them, her eyes widened. "That must be what happened. I'll try to explain." She told them about meeting the Doctor in San Francisco in 1999 and his regeneration into his Eighth self. "I'm a cardiac surgeon and when they brought him in, I'm afraid I didn't look at the x-ray first." Sarah Jane smiled, "You didn't know about his two hearts?" Grace shook her head, "No, and I almost killed him in fact, I'm afraid that what I did led to his regeneration."

She told them both about what happened afterwards, the Master's attempt to take over the Doctor and her being killed by him. Sarah drew back in shock. "But, you're alive?" Grace nodded, "The Doctor said it had something to do with going back in time and being in a temporal orbit." She smiled, "He also said something about TARDIS being a sentimental old thing. Anyway, she brought me back to life, according to him." 

Sarah Jane smiled and Grace told them how he had asked her to come with him. "I told him no, at first." She sighed, "But, a few months later, he came back for me and this time, I went with him. Then, a few months after that, he gave me this." She looked at her wedding ring. Sarah Jane's eyes opened wider, "You married him?" Grace's smile was beautific, "Yes, I did and, he mind bonded with me. I can feel him, out there, on the edge of my consciousness but, I have no idea where he is." She buried her face in her hands and began to cry.

Sarah pulled her to her shoulder and looked up at her husband. Harry nodded and went to make a phone call. Grace sat up, "I'm sorry but, where am I? Where did I come out at?" Sarah laughed, "We found you in the back yard." "In your back yard?" Sarah nodded, "Yes so, we brought you in. Your bag is here too. There's no ID in it." Grace nodded, "I'm Doctor Grace Holloway, orginally from San Francisco."

Sarah Jane nodded, "I see. Harry has gone to call UNIT. You're in a different dimension, Grace, a parallel universe. What you described sounds like a dimensional rift opened and deposited you here." Grace was quiet. "I see. Is there anyway I can get back to him?" Sarah Jane frowned, "I don't know but, at UNIT, we may be able to help. We can at least try. If your Doctor loves you that much, He'll move universes to find you even if he has to call in his fellow Time Lords to do it."

That was when Sarah noticed Grace had gotten real quiet. "Grace? What is it?" Grace looked at her, tears streaming down her face. "In my universe, Gallifrey and the Time Lords are gone. My Doctor is the only one left." Sarah Jane looked horrified, "What happened?" Grace's voice was soft, "The Daleks declared war on the Time Lords, both sides lost." 

Sarah drew Grace's head onto her shoulder, "What happened?" She asked again softly. Grace told her, "The only way to stop the Daleks was for Gallifrey to sacrifice itself but, the explosion had to be triggered away from Gallifrey so the President requested the Doctor do it.. He agreed, very reluctantly but even he couldn't escape the logic of it all. He said that what he would trigger would time lock the war. Both Gallifrey, Skaro and the Daleks and Time lords would cease to exist, except for him. He's hurting, in pain and I'm not there for him!"

Grace began crying bitterly on Sarah Jane's shoulder. That was when Harry came back in. "Grace?" He said softly, "UNIT would like for us to bring you to HQ where we can all talk and see if we can help you, ok?" Grace raised her head, wiping the tears from her face. "Ok, I guess that place is better than nothing." Then, she looked back at Sarah Jane, "You have your own Doctor in this universe?" Sarah Jane nodded, "Oh yes, in fact...Grace, he might be at UNIT right now but, it's not your Doctor." Grace nodded, "I understand that. The bond tells me that." Sarah Jane nodded and the three of them headed for UNIT.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

The Doctor had flown TARDIS to UNIT HQ in London. Once he arrived, he told the Brigadier what had happened and why he needed their help. Fortunately for the Doctor, Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart was still on staff at UNIT as a consultant. Now, he and the distraught Doctor were in a private office. Tea was on the desk but the Doctor had no interest in it.

Alastair looked at his old friend, "We'll help you find her, Doctor, somehow, we will." The Doctor raised his head, his blue eyes misted with tears and managed a small smile, "I know, Alastair, I know it's just that, with the ending of the Time War and then losing Grace, I...I don't know what to do." His voice was soft and Alastair saw a broken hearted man. He had known the Doctor since his second incarnation now and he hated seeing him like this. 

"Doctor," his friend said, "Tell me exactly what happened, maybe there's something you missed?" The Doctor spun, his blue eyes flashing then, he stopped, "You may be right, Alastair." He sat down, his head in his hands then, he ran his hands through his reddish brown hair that now touched his shoulders. Then, he looked at the ceiling and began telling the Brigadier what had happened in the TARDIS.

"I can still feel her, barely but, it's like having something on your mind that you can't quite grasp. Going back to where it happened wouldn't help because that rift is now closed. Of course," Alastair saw those blue eyes begin to shine, "There could be a residual temporal signature there and if I can isolate it then maybe...." His voice trailed off and the Brigadier could almost swear he saw brain wheels turning. 

Alastair smiled, "I'd like for you to take someone along with you, to help and keep you grounded. Now, Doctor," He held up his hand as the Doctor opened his mouth to say no, "I mean someone you already know, someone who can actually help you." The Doctor looked at him, "I hope you don't mean Sarah Jane, she has so much to do here." The Brigadier laughed, "No, she's out of the country at the moment. She got a journalistic assignment that has taken her to New Zealand. Actually, she left a friend of hers here in case you needed him." He pushed a button on the desk and a side door slid open, revealing a squared off robotic dog.

"Master." "K-9!! Good to see you old friend." "It is good to see you too, Master. How may I assist you?" The Doctor looked at the Brig and smiled, "Tell Sarah Jane I'll take good care of him for her." Alastair held out his hand, "I will, Doctor. Now, you two need to be going." "Come along, K-9, I do need your help." "Affirmative, Master." The little dog rolled into the TARDIS and the Doctor followed. Soon a familiar wheezing and groaning began and Alastair watched as the blue box faded away.

"Good luck, Doctor and I hope you find her, I really do."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Grace arrived at UNIT HQ with Sarah Jane and Harry and was immediately shown to the Brigadier's office. Brigadier Alastair Stewart rose to his feet and motioned for them all to sit down. Then, Sarah Jane told him what had happened and about Grace. Grace was quiet, still trying to take all of this in. When Sarah told him that Grace was married to her Doctor, his eyebrows rose. "I see. Well, Miss Holloway, our Doctor arrived a few hours ago. Would it be hard for you to meet him?"

Grace thought it over and then, she smiled sadly, "I'll have to meet him eventually if I'm here so, best to get it over with." Sarah Jane smiled, "Which one are you married to?" She asked. Grace smiled, "Mine said he was the Eighth incarnation, he's regenerated seven times." Sarah Jane smiled, "Well then, there may not be that big of a problem. Our Doctor is still in his Fourth Incarnation." 

Grace nodded, "My Doctor showed me some records of his Fourth self so, I kind of know what to expect at least, I hope I do." Just then, out in the corridor, they heard a voice, deep, somewhat booming. "Now see here Sgt, The Brigadier called for me." The Brig smiled and opened the door. "In here, Doctor, some friends of yours brought us a mystery to solve." He come through the door and looked exactly like the records her Doctor had shown her. A mass of curly brown hair, bohemian clothes, fedora and that massively long scarf.

He looked at Sarah Jane and Harry and his face lit up in a wide, toothy grin. "Sarah, Harry, how nice to see you again." Then, he turned in Grace's direction and his face changed. "You don't belong here." It was a statement. Sarah Jane started to say something when Grace stopped her. "It's all right Sarah, he's right, I don't belong here but..." That was when she saw his eyes, blue, intensely blue, full of life and light and she couldn't stand it, she began to cry.

Sarah Jane came and took the weeping woman into her arms and heard her whisper, "His eyes, his eyes are the same." As Sarah comforted her, Harry told the Doctor in a low voice what they knew so far. However, he did not mention that Grace was married to her universe's Doctor or about the Time War. Finally, Grace stepped back from Sarah Jane and turned back to this Doctor. He looked at her, and she saw compassion there. The Brigadier spoke, "Perhaps it would be best if the two of you talked alone?" 

Sarah Jane looked at Grace, "I'll be all right, Sarah. He's right. There are some things I may have to tell him that the rest of you do not need to hear. I'll be fine." Sarah Jane nodded and she, Harry and the Brigadier left, closing the office door behind them. Grace was standing at the window, looking out at a world so similiar to her own but so different. The Doctor sat on the desk and spoke again, "You don't belong here, in this universe." She turned to look at him and her heart almost stopped, the expression on his face was so like her Doctor's.

"No, I don't," she said softly, "But I don't know how to get home." He looked at her, removed the fedora and motioned for her to take a seat. She did. "Where do you want me to start?" The Doctor smiled, "Take your time and tell me how you ended up here." Grace took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Well, obviously, we were out in space when it happened, my husband and I." The Doctor nodded.

Grace took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It's like this, my husband's TARDIS came into contact with a dimensional rift." His eye brows rose, "Your husband's TARDIS?" He asked. Grace nodded, "Yes, you see, in my universe, I'm married to the Eighth Incarnation of our Doctor." His eyes widened but he said nothing. She sighed, "What I am about to tell you is, I hope, unique to my universe but, the reason the rift was there was because of an intergalatic war." 

His eyebrows climbed back into his hair, "An intergalatic war?" He saw tears forming in her eyes and he crouched in front of her. "Tell me," he said in a soft voice that reminded her of her Theta. She heaved another sigh. "The Daleks declared war on the Time Lords, with all of space and time at stake." He stiffened, the Daleks? "But, there are none here." 

Grace nodded, "I know, Sarah Jane told me what you and she did on Skaro but, in my universe, you didn't destroy them at their creation. You hoped they would bring races together and they did, in a way but, at too great a cost. Now, the war is done and both sides lost." He looked at her face and felt fear shoot through him. "What happened, Grace?" He asked softly.

Grace looked into those incredible blue eyes, "The High Council sent for him and he fought with the troops for as long as they could fight. I helped in the medical center until we had to evacuate. Then, just before we left, the Lady President sent for him. She told him there was only one solution and he had been chosen to do it simply because the rest of them were cowards." She spat that sentence out, the contempt in her tone palpable.

"Doctor," she said, looking into his eyes, "He did the only thing that could be done, he used something called the Moment." The look on his face could only be described as one of sheer horror. He got to his feet slowly and walked to the window almost blindly. Grace followed him. "It was terrible to watch but it was harder to watch him react. It put him through so much pain, so much sorrow. It stole the joy from his eyes. We watched the fleets, the planets burn and then, the black hole sucked them in and it was all time locked. 

I was so scared that I was going to lose him but, he needed me more than ever and I kept him with me. We were almost out of everything, out of harm's way then, UNIT needed him. We were heading back to Earth when we hit a rift the Daleks had deployed early in the war. I was heading to the control room and had barely entered when TARDIS merged with the rift and then, I was in Sarah and Harry's back yard."

She buried her face in her hands, weeping bitterly when she felt his arms surround her. It felt so familiar, so loving that she let herself rest against his broad chest. Her voice was somewhat muffled, "When we married, we mind bonded, he called it the imprint. I can barely feel him but, it's so faint, it's like a soft tickle more than anything else. I want to get back to him, I miss him."

The Doctor just held her, resting his chin on her head, "We'll get you back to your Doctor, Grace, I promise you we will find a way to do so. Do you remember what sector of space you were in when you hit the rift?" She shook her head, "All I know is that we were heading to Parvellon 6 when the call from UNIT came and he said the most direct route would be the best so, we headed off."

He nodded and she could almost see wheels turning in his mind, so much like her own Doctor then, she thought of something." There is one way to convince you that I do know him." The Doctor stepped back to look at her, he had been wondering then, he nodded." She looked up at him and said one long word. "Theta Sygma DeFalcon."

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

The Eighth Doctor and K-9 arrived back in the sector where Grace had disappeared from. K-9 was connected to the control console and was trying to see if he could find any temporal readings. The Doctor was doing his own calculations but part of his mind was occupied with Grace, was she all right? Had she found any friends to help her? He missed her so much, it was physically hurting him. 

He closed his eyes tightly to try and stop the tears that were threatening to overwhelm him when K-9 spoke up, "Master, I am detecting residual temporal energy in sector 523. It is identical to the energy readings from when you encountered the rift." The Doctor dashed the tears away, "Good dog, K-9 now, can we track that signature?" "I believe so, Master." "Then do it, K-9, we need to find her."

K-9 inputed the information into the main TARDIS computer and it began flowing across the monitor screen. The Doctor began coordinating what he knew and soon, he had found a small gap in the rift, and, he had found the universe Grace was in. "Now," he said, "I need to get a message to so that she'll know I'm looking for her, can we do that, K-9?" "Affirmative, Master, as long as I have her DNA signature, I can pinpoint the message to her." The Doctor smiled for the first time since she had disappeared. "That's in the TARDIS data bank, K-9." "Affirmative, Master."

K-9 began compiling what he would need and began composing the message to be sent directly to Grace. The Doctor decided to move the TARDIS closer to the gap they had found in the hopes it would add more strength to the message they were going to send. "Please, Grace, please, I hope you can hear me, I'm trying to get you back, I really am. I love you." He and K-9 went to work. He sent the coordinates of where the gap was to her as well. They also found a star that was just beginning to go nova and he knew it would boost the signal but only for a short time.

Two hours later they were in position to send the message. "Ready, K-9?" "Ready, Master." The Doctor punched the necessary controls, "All right, K-9, begin transmission." "Transmission initiated, Master." Now, all they could do was wait. The control console would let him know if Grace came to the spot where there was an opening in the rift then, at least he would be able to see her and talk to her.

Now all he could do was wait and that was not one of his strong suits as Grace would occasionally point out to him. He paced around the console, careful not to fiddle with any of the controls now that they were set. It was hard for him to have to not do anything. 

Grace was still quietly talking to this universe's Doctor when there was a knock on the door. The Doctor opened it to reveal the Brigadier. "Doctor, we are receiving a signal from outside our universe." Grace looked up, "It could be?" The Doctor smiled, "It sounds like it. Come, we're going to take a little trip." He led her to the Lab where his TARDIS was sitting. "Sarah, Harry, care to come along?" 

They looked at each other then at him and walked into the TARDIS. He went to the console, set the coordinates they had received and a familiar wheezing, groaning sound filled the air and they were off. Grace looked around, this TARDIS was so different and yet, familiar to her, the humming, the singing she was hearing. She laid a hand on the gleaming white control console and was rewarded by a happy humming.

The Doctor looked at her keenly, "The old girl seems to like you." Grace smiled softly, "Yes, I know. My Doctor's TARDIS talks to me, telling me things I need to know. I miss her." The Doctor nodded. "Understandable, your Doctor's TARDIS knows you and you know her." He checked the console and smiled, "We're almost there." Sarah had a hand on Grace's arm, "You ok?" She asked. Grace smiled, "Just nervous about seeing him again." Sarah Jane smiled.

The TARDIS landed and they stepped out onto a gloomy, sandy beach with dark skies overhead. Sarah Jane looked around, "Where are we, Doctor?" He looked around, scarf billowing in the breeze, "Looks like Norway, Dalig-Uf-Stranden." Grace looked around and then, a figure shimmered into view a few feet off. "Grace?" She looked again. It was him, the frock coat, ascot, waistcoat and that glorious reddish brown hair.

She walked towards him and just before she reached him, he held up his hand to stop her. "You can't touch me, love, this is only a projection. I'm in the TARDIS in orbit around a supernova." He smiled slightly, "Burning up a star to see you again." He looked past her. "Who are they?" Grace smiled, "That's Sarah Jane and Harry, they're married in this universe with four children." His eyes widened when he saw that Doctor. "He's still in his fourth body?" Grace nodded.

"I miss you, Theta," She said softly. His eyes went sad, "I know, my angel, I miss you too. I'm working on a way to get you back here but, I don't know how long it will take. The gap isn't wide enough to let the TARDIS through." Grace began to cry, "I....I need you, love." There were tears in his own eyes, "I know." He said softly, "I need you too."

He wanted to take her in his arms, hold her and soothe her tears away but he couldn't and it was hurting him like hell. The other Doctor came towards them. "Hello, nice to meet myself." Grace's Doctor smiled, "You will help her?" "Of course I will. We'll find a way to get her back to you." The Eighth Doctor nodded and looked at his wife, "I love you, Grace." She smiled, "I know." Then, he was gone. 

Grace stood there staring at where he was then, she broke into tears. The Doctor came to her and held her, just letting her cry. After a few minutes, the four of them got back into the TARDIS. He walked to the console and stood there, thinking then, his face split into the mile wide grin the three companions knew so well. He had a plan.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Grace, Sarah Jane and Harry watched as the Fourth Doctor spun dials, set coordinates and threw the main lever. "Where are we going, Doctor?" Sarah Jane asked. He grinned, "We're going to the spot where his TARDIS was when it merged with the rift. Grace, can you get your Doctor to meet us there?"

Grace looked worried, "I can try but, it won't be easy." The Doctor nodded and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Now try, maybe I can give you the mental boost you need." Grace nodded and closed her eyes. ~~Doctor, love, can you hear me?~~

In his own TARDIS, the Eighth Doctor stopped and closed his eyes, he could hear her! ~~Grace, how are you---?~~ Grace smiled, ~~The Doctor here is giving me a mental boost. We're going back to where your TARDIS was when we hit the rift. Go there, now. Hopefully, I'll see you soon.~~ The Eighth Doctor smiled, ~~I hope so too, my love, I'm on my way.~~

Grace opened her eyes and looked at Four. "He's heading there now. What do you have in mind?" Four frowned, "It's dangerous and if it were anyone else attempting it, it would be impossible but, between the two of us, I think we can do it. A controlled merging of both TARDISes. That way, you can be reunited with your Doctor and then the two TARDISes can separate and I can take Harry and Sarah Jane back home."

Grace looked at him, her eyes wide. "A controlled merging?" The Fourth Doctor nodded and grinned. "Yes, for a brief period both TARDISes will be one and you can go to your Doctor then we can separate the two girls and each can go on their respective ways. It usually is not allowed to happen but this time, with both of us knowing what we're doing, it should be safe."

Grace raised an eyebrow, "Should be safe? Now Doctor, I'm not going to risk my......" Her voice trailed off and then she saw his toothy grin. He already knew! He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I know and I can't tell you how happy I am and how happy he will be when you tell him. Don't worry, we can do this." He looked over at Harry and Sarah Jane, "Besides, I have to get them home or I'll never hear the end of it."

Soon, they arrived back in the sector of space where Grace and Eight had encountered the rift and an alarm went off. The Fourth Doctor smiled, "Ah, he's right on time, as usual. Hold on!" Instinctively, Grace grabbed his arm. He smiled down at her and kept working the controls. The TARDIS shuddered and a few lights popped and then.....

"Grace?" She turned around and there he was, her Doctor. She flew into his arms and he greeted her with a passionate kiss. Then, they just held each other. Finally, Eight looked at Four, "Thank you, you have no idea what she means to me." Four smiled, "Oh, I have an idea. Now, we need to separate our girls here." Grace looked at Harry and Sarah Jane, "Thank you, so much, for everything. Take good care of him, Sarah."

Eight looked across the control room, "My Sarah Jane. Take good care of her, Harry." Harry wrapped an arm around his wife, "I fully intend to, Doctor." Eight nodded, "Come, Grace." He took her hand and led her over to his own control console. "Again, Doctor, my thanks." Four nodded and then, the two machines separated. Grace had closed her eyes when that started and finally, "Grace, you can look now."

She looked around. It was his TARDIS, the library, the Victorian decor she had come to love and him, her "Victorian Gentlemen". "I'm home?" She asked. For an answer, he swept her up in his arms, spinning her around and planting an extremely passionate kiss on her lips. He finally drew back and she saw the shadow in his eyes.

"My sweet Theta," she whispered, "I missed you so much. How long was I gone from here?" His answer stunned her, "Almost a full year, my angel." Grace stepped back, "A year??" He nodded, "The most miserable year of my lives, Grace." "My sweet love," She cupped his cheek in her hand. "I have something to tell you, love, something I didn't get the chance to tell you before I disappeared."

He turned to look at her. "What was it, Grace?" She smiled, her smile lighting up the control room. "Theta, I'm pregnant."

TBC


	7. Life is Full of Surprises

He stared at her for what seemed forever and his blue eyes widened. "You're what?" He asked, taking a couple of steps back from her. Grace smiled, "I'm pregnant, my love. I'm carrying your, our child." She had never seen him this stunned before in fact, he sat down on the floor of the TARDIS. The old girl was humming happily, loving the idea of a time child running around her corridors again. Grace crouched beside him, "Theta, my love, are you all right?"

He turned his head and she was surprised to see tears coming down his face, "Theta?" She asked softly then, the grin that spread across his face could have lit up a city if not an entire planet. He scrambled to his feet and picked her up, swinging her around while kissing her soundly. Finally, he set her back on the floor and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure you feel all right?" He asked quietly. She slipped her arms around his neck. "Why do you keep asking that? I feel fine, my love."

He nodded with a slow smile and laid his forehead against hers. "Gallifreyans and humans are physically compatible but, there has never been a Gallifreyan/Human hybrid born before, not outside the Looms, that is." Grace looked at him, "You mentioned that to me before. Can you tell me about them?" They walked over to the library and sat down on the lounger. "I'll try Grace but, it's not an easy concept to explain."

She nodded and sat back to listen as he explained to her the "birthing system" on Gallifrey. As a physician she was fascinated by what she was hearing. As a human, she was wondering why they would do something like this. Then, she asked a question. "Theta, were you loomed?" His eyes widened and then there was a small smile. "No, you're looking at the last Time Lord who was born in a natural way. My mother insisted on it." Her eyes widened. "How long was she in labor with you?' He smiled, "According to her, too long." Grace laughed.

"Now," he said, getting to his feet, "We'll go to UNIT to have you checked over by a physician I can trust." Grace was surprised but agreed with him. His hands flew over the controls as he set coordinates. She always liked watching him do this. After what seemed to be a half an hour, he looked at her with a grin, "We're here." He then threw the lever that opened the door and they walked out of TARDIS into his lab at UNIT. He looked around to get his bearings after all, the last time he had been here was in his sixth incarnation. He then nodded and, taking Grace's hand, headed out to where he knew the Brigadier's office was.

They walked into the outer office and the Doctor looked at the young man seated at the desk. "We would like to see the Brigadier, please." The young Sgt looked up, "May I ask who wishes to see him?" Grace smiled as her husband answered, "Tell him it's the Doctor, his Scientific Advisor." The young man nodded and went into the other office. In a few, he came out smiling, "Go right in Doctor, Brigadier Matthews is waiting." The Doctor's eyebrows rose a little but, holding onto Grace's hand, the two of them walked in.

The man seated behind the Brigadier's desk was tall, around six feet, had wavy brown hair and dark brown eyes. Matthews rose to shake the Doctor's hand then, he nodded to Grace and gestured for them to sit as he resumed his seat. "It's been a while, Doctor but it's nice to see you again,. You knew that Alastair had retired?" The Doctor nodded, "Yes, unfortunately, I was unable to be here for his retirement party. I'll have to pay him a visit while we're here." Matthews nodded, "Now, Doctor, how can we help you?"

The Doctor shot a quick glance in Grace's direction. "First, let me introduce you to my wife, Dr Grace Holloway from San Francisco." Matthews eyes widened, "Your wife? This is indeed a pleasure." he stood and reached for her hand. Grace smiled as he shook it and then sat back down. "Now, what can we do?" The Doctor smiled, "I need full access to the Infirmary. My wife just told me she's pregnant and I want to do a through examination of her to make sure all is well." 

Matthews grin grew even wider, if that were possible. "Of course, Doctor, you have full access to everything here. Come, I'll take you there." The Doctor and Grace followed him to a brand new, up to date infirmary that had the Doctor looking around approvingly. "Well, Grace?" He asked, "You feel comfortable with me doing the examination?" Grace responded by kissing his cheek and saying, "You think I'm going to let anyone else do this?" He chuckled and Matthews left them to get to their business.

An hour later, Grace was thinking she had never been poked and prodded so much in her entire life. He ran tests she didn't even know existed. He was through, that was for sure. "Well?" She asked. He ran an hand through his chestnut curls and smiled. "Baby is healthy, growing normally and is Gallifreyan. Also," He darted a look at her, "Do you want to know the gender?" She looked at him pointedly, "What do you think?" He smiled, "It's a boy, Grace." 

Her face was wreathed in smiles and she hugged him, "A boy? How perfect. Maybe next time it will be a girl." She drew back to look into his blue eyes, "You will want another, won't you?" She asked with some trepidation. His eyes gave her the answer before he spoke. "Of course, as long as it's with you, my love." He kissed her passionately. Grace returned the kiss then drew back. "Are we staying here awhile? You've told me so much about London I was wondering if....." Her voice trailed off and he smiled, "I'd love to show you around, even introduce you to some old friends of mine, if they're still around, that is." His voice sounded sad.

Grace looked at him. He smiled at her, "Just thinking about the ones I lost. Come on, I think we need to find Lethbridge-Stewart." After a few inquiries, he found Bessie, his old yellow roadster in UNIT's garage, well maintained and running in tip top shape. Grace looked at him and then at the car. "UNIT actually got this for you?" He smiled as he began the process of starting her, "Yes, in my third incarnation when the Time Lords exiled me here after my trial. I needed a way to get around since TARDIS was immoblized so, I found Bessie and UNIT agreed to purchase her for me." The engine hummed to life and the two of them drove off. Grace was looking forward to meeting the people who were in her husband's life.

TBC


End file.
